PHIL2091: PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION

• At least one 'Year 1' module in Philosophy.

• At least one other 'Year 2' module in Philosophy.

• None.

• To consider philosophical issues raised by religion.

• The topics to be covered will include some of the following:
• Arguments for the existence of God
• The nature of miracles and the case for their occurrence
• Philosophical issues raised by the practice of petitionary prayer
• The problem of evil
• The relation between reason and faith
• The philosophical significance of religious language
• Religious experience (especially mysticism), and its relation to philosophy
• Philosophical issues in non-western religions (primarily Hinduism and Buddhism)
• Religion and morality

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• By the end of the module, students will have knowledge and understanding of the key philosophical theories relating to the following issues.
• The rationality of theism
• The relation between reason and faith
• The character of religious language and experience
• The philosophical issues raised by certain non-Western religions
• The relation between religion and morality

Subject-specific Skills:

• correctly utilise specialist vocabulary
• grasp, analyse, evaluate and deploy subject-specific concepts and arguments
• locate, understand, assess and utilise pertinent philosophical (and, where appropriate, historical) sources

Key Skills:

• express themselves clearly and succinctly in writing
• comprehend complex ideas, propositions and theories
• defend their opinions by reasoned argument
• seek out and identify appropriate sources of evidence and information
• tackle problems in a clear-sighted and logical fashion.

• Lectures deliver basic module-specific information, and provide a framework for further study.
• Discussion groups provide opportunities for students to test their own understanding of the material studies, and defend and debate different opinions.
• Guided reading provides a structure within which students exercise and extend their abilities to make use of available learning resources.
• The formative essays provide the opportunity for students to test their knowledge and understanding of the module content, and their ability to present and defend relevant arguments and theories, uninhibited by the need for summative assessment.
• The unseen examination tests students' overall knowledge and understanding of the module content at the end of the module, and their ability to bring it to bear on new problems.

If you have a question about Durham's modular degree programmes, please visit our FAQ webpages, Help page or our glossary of terms. If you have a question about modular programmes that is not covered by the FAQ, or a query about the on-line Undergraduate Module Handbook, please contact us.

Prospective Students: If you have a query about a specific module or degree programme, please Ask Us.

Current Students: Please contact your department.